Madison - People sliding through wild rice beds in canoes will likely get a smaller harvest than they would like.The DNR expects wild rice production to be below average again this year.The harvest has been down the last three years.There will be a few lakes with better than average production, but most appear to have less rice than normal.
The harvest is expected to be slightly better than last year.The season is getting off to a late start this year.In most years, rice is ripe around September first.However, in many areas around Wisconsin, the rice is still green.While some lakes are open whenever people think the rice is ready to harvest, others must be opened for harvest before you can try your luck. You can find a list on the DNR web site by searching for wild rice.